Sealihg  apparatus fob



Aug; 13, 1929. A. D. BULLERJAHN SEALING APPARATUS FOR CABTONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1927 1929- A. D. BULLERJAHN SEALING APPARATUS FOR CARTONS Filed June 17 1927 3 Sheets-Sheejt 2 Erma 3 llllllllll 1| Aug. 13, 1929. A. DLBULLERJAHN SEALING APPARATUS FOR CARTONS Filed June 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J /i1 i F% m 4 J0 10 26- 25 Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

ADOLPH n, nunnnnzmnn, or CHICAGO, rumors. I

SEALING APPARATUS IFQR .CARTOINS.

Application filed June 17, 192?. Serial No. 199,478.

The appz iratus of the present invention is designed for the purpose of applying a seal coating ot wax or the like to the end of a carton or package while, in transit on a conveyor, and without lifting or in any way manipulating the carton or interrupting the continuity oi its travel during the sealing operation.

Heretofore it has been customary to wax seal packages containing caclrers, confections, or the like, by immersing the ends of the package in a bath of melted wax or like composition, which method requires a considerable amount of manipulation andintcrrupts the continuity the teeth of mckages from the wrapping position to the final point of discharge, and the present invention is designed to avoid such methods and to pass the ends of the cartons tln'ough a lowing body of wax discharged from a weir in such a way as to completely seal the ends while in position to travel, upon the conveyor. In particular, the invention relates to the means provided for regulating and controlling the flow of wax over the weir in order to cause a complete sealing of the end face and edges of the carton with out any excessive discharge of wax upon the side faces of the carton where sealing. is not required. I

The various adjustments presently to be described are further provided in order to regulate the discharge oil the waXwith due regard to the extent of surface to be covered, the nature of the sealing medium employed, the thickness of the seal coating required, the speed of travel of the conveyor, and other like factors involved in a proper application of theiseal coating.

Further details will appear scription or" the .inventionin with the accompanying drawings wherein.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sealing apparatus of the present invention with the position of a carton indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the discharging column of fluid, wax, or other sealing medium; I

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the relation of the sealing apparatus to the conveyor,

Fig. 4 is weir; and

from a do a detail showing one form of conjunction 5 is a similar view showing an alternate iorm oi weir.

The apparatus as a whole comprises a tank consisting in the form shown of end walls 10-10, a vertical rear wall 11, a front obliquely disposed wall 12 and a bottom 13. The tank, as shown, is mounted upon standards 14, although obviously it might be otherwise supported.

. Below the tank is located a drain Pen 15 which is supported in sloping relation'between the standards 14, being provided for the purpose of catching the overflow of excess wax from the sealing, and returning it through a suitable pipe 16 which leads to a pump or the like, not shown, from whichin turn leads a supply pipe 17 for discharging the hot melted wax into the top of the tank or reservoir. In order to maintain a proper level within the reservoir, an overflow pipe 18 is provided which opens downwardly into the pan 15 through the base 13 of the reservoir. Since it is desirable to provide means for closely regulating the overflow level to meet variations in the conditions encountered, the upper end of the pipe 18 has screw threaded thereonto a cap 19 provided with one or more inlet apertures 20 leading to the interior of the pipe 18,

which cap is carried by the lower end of a reason to be presently explained. As shown,

the supporting surface of the coveyor is at torded by a plurality of supportingiplates each of which 1a of a sue to recelve and a carton 25, one end of WhlCh 1t is desired .toseal during the interval of its passage in frontof the wax containing reservoir.

In order to tip the conveyor to the 'desired degree, any suitable form of appliance may be provided, as, for instance, a'roller 26n1ounted upon the end of a swinging arm 27 pivoted at 28 to a standard 29, the heel 30 of which may be vertically adjusted by means of a screw 81 or like device. By adjusting the screw, the chain conveyor may be slightly twisted or canted to afford the desired obliquity in its surface to bring the end of the carton into proper relation to the sealin column or sheet of falling wax.

The falling column of wax, which is indicated by A, is discharged through an orifice located between the upper edge of a weir 32 and a slide plate The width of this orifice can be regulated by adjustment of the slide plate, and the edge of the weir may be varied in shape, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4 is shown an arrangement in which each end of the discharge orifice is enlarged vertically by providing notches 34 and 85, respectively, in the weir and the adjacent portion of the slide plate. In Fig. 5 modification consists in providing intermediate notches 36 in the edge of the weir in conjunction with complementary V-shaped teeth 37 in the edgeof the slide plate which, in effect, divides the discharge orifice into three sections, which will result in practically dividing the outflowing column of melted wax into three sheets or columns.

It has been shown by demonstration that an outfiowing stream or sheet of melted wax of the character used for sealing purposes will tend by reason of its viscosity and by its accelerating rate of flow as it falls to draw together or narrow as it elongates without, however, breaking into individual drops or particles, and this convergence or narrowing of the falling column is accompanied by the formation along each of the edges of the lips a in which the column is thickened in comparison with the thickness of the intermediate sheet between the lips. This tendency to thicken at the edges may be accen: ,tuated by giving to the discharge orifice the configuration shown in Fig. 4, in which the ends of the orifice are enlarged to permit of an increased discharge at the margins of the falling sheet.

If, however, it is desired to divide the column into a plurality'of sections, so that each section in turn will.present a pair of thickened marginal edges, the configuration shown in Fig. 5 may be employed. In either event, the formation of the thickened marginal edges is taken advantage of in the end sealing operation of the cartons by reason of the fact that the ends which require sealing are passed through at an angle to the normal plane of the falling column, and hence serve to restrict or hold back the column within the space afforded between the front surface of the weir plate 38 and the end wall of the carton 25*, so that the falling column, instead of traversing the plane indicated by the dotted line b in Fig. 2, will be crowded back somewhat and thus held in close sealing cOntact with the end face of the carton.

At the same time, the passage of the advancing edge of the carton through the thick ened marginal lip of the falling column will serve to seal the edge of the carton around onto the side face to a slight degree, thereby completely sealing this advancing edge around the corner. In like manner, the rear edge of a carton, as it passes beyond the lip of the falling column, will allow the wax to flow in behind the rear edge and seal around the rear corner to the degree required to secure a complete seal.

The wax will seal over and around the upper edge at the point 0 by reason of the fact that the restriction of the normal outflow of the wax, due to the traversing of the carton, will cause an outfiowing of the wax over the upper corner which will thoroughly seal the carton at this point. The lower corner will be sealed by the provision of a shelf or ledge 39 which is adjustably mounted upon the weir wall 38, being provided with slotted ears 40 through which are entered screws 41 permitting vertical adjustment of the ledge. As the downwardly flowing wax strikes against the ledge, it will be diverted --outwardly and under the edge of the carton sealing around the lower corner as indicated in Fig. 2.

As before stated, the carton is preferably held in oblique relation by tipping or tilting the conveyor, and this is done for the purpose of bringing the end of the carton almost into parallelism with the normal plane of flow of the wax, which tends, as it falls, to diverge outwardly away from a vertical falling position due to the maintenance of a head of wax above the weir outlet, as indicated in Fig. 2. It is highly desirable to provide for precise adjustment not only of the carton, but also of the appliance for regulating the discharge of the wax, and the means for securing such adjustment will now be described.

The weir plate 88 constitutes the front wall of a box-like frame 42 of rectangular shape comprising a lower wall43, side walls 44 and a top wall 45, the side walls being provided with grooves 46 which afford guides for the vertical adjustment of the slide plate 33. The frame 43, which may be referred to as the outer frame, is telescopically guided within an intermediate frame 47 comprising a wall 48 having a depending flange 49, which wall merges into side walls 49 con nected with a top wall 50. The intermediate frame is also provided with side flanges 51, the upper ends of which are carried upwardly in the form of upstanding bracket arms 52, each rearwardly turned at its upper end 53 to receive an adjusting screw 54. I

The adjusting screws are threaded onto the upper edge of a gate 55, which gate comprises segmental side walls 56 and an arcuate bottom wall 57. The gate is pivoted on trunnions 59 extending into a fixed frame of the reservoir, and the frame furnishes a margin for an orifice 61 of proper dimensions to permit the gate to be swung in and out upon the trunnions 59 without permitting discharge of the wax around the margins of the gate frame.

In addition to the screw 54, which permit regulation of the height of the intermediate frame, the side flanges 51 of the latter are provided with slots 62 through which are entered screw posts 63carrying nuts 64 for clamping the intermediate frame in adjusted position upon the gate, and this adjustment serves to regulate the vertical height of the overflow edge of the weir 32 and to hold the intermediate frame with the parts carried thereby in closely abutting relation to the forward edge of the gate to prevent the escape of wax at this point. The side walls of the intermediate frame are provided with outstanding lugs 65 which receive the ends of adjusting screws 66 threaded through lugs 67 on the outer frame, and by adjustment of said screws, the outer frame can be regulated to vary its distance toward or from the con-. veyer which enables adjustment to be made with respect to the width of the cartons to be sealed.

The obliquity of the weir wall 38 may be regulated by swinging the gateon its turn nion through the desired degree, so that by suitable adjustment, the relation of the parts may be varied to bring the weir wall 38 from a substantially vertical plane to a sharp degree of obliquity, as occasion may re quire. The swinging adjustment of the gate will be regulated by means of a screw 68 which extends through a lugor ear (39 on the edge of the gate wall The end of the screw bears against the outer wall of the tank, so that by turning the screw, the gate and all of the parts carried thereby may be swung as a unit to secure the desired adjustmen In order to bringthe inner endsof the cartons into proper relation to the discharge of wax from the weir, an adjustable shoe 70 .is provided having an elongated slot 71 which is guided by a pin 72 outstanding from the side wall 49. of the intermediate wall, WlllCll pin in. con unction with a screw 73 serves to regulate the degree of projection of the shoe beyond the face of the weir wall 38. j p

The general arrangement ofthe sealing appliance is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. In this figure, it will be noted that one pair of tanks is located. on the right hand side of the conveyor and at one paint in the line of travel, and that a second pair islooated on the. opposite side at a diff nt point from the line of travel. Thefirst tank of each pair is employed to contain the wax.

p or similar sealing composition, and the com- 60 which is mounted upon the front wall 12 panion tank is employed for the discharge of cold water, whichisdesirable where an immediate chilling of the wax is required in order to afford a smooth'surface to the seal coating.

The, discharge of the water upon the freshly applied wax will instantly hold the same and will give a better finish than would otherwise be obtained. The previously unsealed end of the carton. will be sealed by a second operation at a point through and along in the line oftravel, tle conveyor being oppositely tilted to bring the guides into proper relation to the second set of sealing appliances. Each of theutanks is preferably constructed in the manner'heretofore described, although obviously the water tank may be omitted where it is not desired to secure the chilling effect.

The cartons to be sealed will usually. be wrapped in an oiled or waxedwater proof paper which affords the required amount of sealing for the body of the carton, so that an application of wax in the manner described need be. made only at the ends be briefly above the weir level by adjust nent of the overflow cap 19 in the manner desribed.

The vertical elevation of the weir edge 32 1- may be effected by ad usting the ll'l'fltlll'ittliate frame up and down across the of the gate by turning the adjusting screws Aproper lateral adjustment of the weir edge with respectto the conveyormay be effected by moving the outer frame in out of the intermediate frame by adjustment of the screw 66 until the desired relation of these parts is obtained. The augula obliquity of the weir wall may adjust d by a swinging adjustment of the seamsgate which carries with it the int d outer frames and parts associated the The width of the discharge slet or above the weir may be regulated. by the sh plate 33 and the proper tilt of tie conveyor may be regulated by thescrewfil' or other equivalent appliances. Flilftllff the l 39 may be adjusted to afford "the necessary space for the discharge of wax under the, lower edge of the carton, and the 10% 70 may be adjusted to regulate the di.

the carton from the weir opening.

through the Weir opening in a sheet or column having the lipped configuration previously described, and as the cartons pass in succession through the discharging sheet or column of wax, the end faces will be coated with wax, which coating will extend slightly around each of the edges, so that a complete seal at one end will be provided for. The melted wax should be discharged in the tank at a proper rate of flow to maintain the desired level, and with the level properly maintained, a uniform sealing effect will be produced on all of the cartons delivered in a continuously traveling proces sion as the conveyor advances.

Where the water tanks are used for chilling purposes. the water discharge will be regulated in the same manner by ad ustmentof the various portions of the water cischarging apparatus, and thereafter the cartons in a continuously moving procession will be brought into the proper relation with the second set of sealing and chilling appliances, which will seal the opposite ends of the cartons prior to their ultimate delivery. By providing the adjustments indicated, and by employing a weir discharge configured, if desired, to increase the thickness of the lips along the margins of the falling sheet or column of wax, precision in the application of the wax to the ends and edges of he margins may be obtained and uniformity in the sealing effect secured.

The apparatus as a whole is one which may be readily applied to conveyors of existing type without in any way interfering with the speed or continuity of travel of the cartons from the wrapping machine to the point of delivery.

Although the apparatus has been described with considerable detail, and although provision has been made for all of the desirable adjustments which might be required to se cure precision of operation under diverse conditions, it is not the intention in the claims, unless otherwise indicated, to limit the invention to all of the details indicated.

1 claim:

1. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, and means for adjusting the height of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor, substantially as described.

2. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquidstate, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, means for ad justing the height of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor, and means for adjusting the angular relation of the weir to the conveyor, substantially as described.

In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of ob jects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the height of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor, means for adjusting the angular relation of the weir to the conveyor, and means for adjusting the weir opening toward and from the conveyor, substantially as described.

4. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid scaling medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, and means for adjusting the width of the weir opening, subsantially as described.

5. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium' in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid scaling medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the height of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor, and means for adjusting the width of the weir opening, substantially as described.

6. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state. said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the height of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor, means for adjusting the angular relation of the weir to theconveyor, and means for adjusting the width of the weir opening, substantially as described.

7. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination. with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of ob iects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the height of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor, means for adjusting the angular relation to the weir to the corn veyor, means for adjusting the Weir opening toward and from the conveyor, and means for adjusting the width of the weir opening, substantially as described.

8. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of ob jects carried by the conveyor, and means for adjusting the weir opening toward and from the conveyor, substantially as described.

9. In sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the weir toward and from the conveyor, and means for adjusting the angularity of the weir with respect to the conveyor, substantially as described.

10. In. sealing apparatus of the character described, in combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing medium in the liquid state, said tank having aweir located in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of ob jects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the weir toward and from the conveyor, and means for varying the weir opening, substantially as described.

11. In sealing apparatus of the character describechin combination with a conveyor, a tank for containing a sealing'medium in the liquid state, said tank having a weir located. in adjacent relation to the conveyor and in position to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the weir toward and from the conveyor, means for adjusting the angularity of the weir withrespeot to the conveyor, and means for varying the width of the weir opening, substantially as described.

12. In combination with a continuousl moving conveyor and means for tilting the conveyor, a tank for the storing of a liquid sealing medium located in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a weir adapted to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, substantially as described.

13. In combination with a continuously moving conveyor and means for tilting the conveyor, a tank for the storing of a liquid sealing medium located in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a weir adapted to discharge asheet of liquid sealing medium against the I weir opening with respect tothe conveyor,

substantially as described.

14. In combination with a continuously moving conveyor and means for tilting the conveyor, a tank for the storing of a liquid sealing medium located in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a weir adapted to discharge a sheet of liquid sealing medium against the surface of objects carried by the conveyor, means for adjusting the relation of the weir opening with respect to the conveyor,and means for adjusting the size of the weir opening, substantially as described.

15. In sealing apparatus of theclass described, the combination of a tiltable conveyor, a tank for the reception of a liquid sealing medium in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a swinging gate comprisingsegmental side walls and an arcuate endwall, said gate carrying an intermediate frame vertically adiustable with respect to the gate, said intermediate frame carrying an outer frame ad ustable 1n and out of the intermediate frame, said outer frame being configured to i afford a weir opening for the discharge'of sealing medium against the face of objects carried by the conveyor, and a slide plate carried by the outer frame and co-acting with the edge of the weir for regulating the width of the discharge over the weir, substantially as described. 1

16. In sealing apparatus of'the class described, the combination of a tiltable conveyor, a tank for thereeeptionof a liquid sealing medium in laterally adjacent rela tlon to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a swinging gate comprising segmental side walls and an arcuate end wall,

said gate carrying an intermediate frame vertlcally ad ustable with respect to the gate, said intermediate frame carrying-an outer" frame adjustable in and out ofthe intermediate frame, said outer frame being configured to afford a weir opening for the discharge of sealing medium against the face of objects carried by the conveyor, a slide plate carried by the outer frame and co-acting with the edge of the weir for regulating the width of the discharge over the weir, and a ledge on the outer frame located below the weir opening for divertingthe falling sheet of sealing medium under the loweredge of the object to be sealed, substantially as described.

17. In sealing apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tiltable conveyor, a tank for 'the reception of a liquid sealing medium in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a swinging gate comprising segmental side walls and an arcuate end wall, said gate carrying an intermediate frame vertically adjustable with respect to the gate, said intermediate .frame carrying an outer frame adjustable in and out of the intermediate frame, said outer frame being configured to afford a weir opening for the discharge of sealing medium against the face of objects carried by the conveyor, a slide plate carried by the outer frame and co-acting with the edge of the weir for regulating the width of the discharge over the weir, a ledge on the outer frame located below the weir opening for diverting the falling sheet of sealing medium under the lower edge of the object to be sealed, and an adjustable shoe for regulating the position of the, to-be-sealed object with respect to the discharge from the weir, substantially as described.

18. In sealing apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tiltable con- Veyor, a tank for the reception of a liquid sealing medium in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a swinging gate comprising segmental side walls and an arcuate end wall, said gate carrying an intermediate frame vertically adjustable with respect to the gate, said intermediate frame carrying an outer frame adjustable in and out of the intermediate frame, said outer frame being configured to afford a weir opening for the discharge of sealing medium against the face of objects carried by the conveyor, a slide plate carried by the outer frame and co-acting with the edge of the weir for regulating the width of the discharge over the weir, and a drain pan located below the line of discharge from the weir for intercepting the surplus sealing medium, substantially as described.

19. In sealing apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tiltable conveyor, a tank for the reception of a liquid sealing medium in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a swinging gate comprising segvertically mental side walls and an areuate end wall, said gate carrying an intermediate frame vertically adjustable with respect to the gate, said intermediate frame carrying an outer frame adjustable in and out of the intermediate frame, said outer frame being configured to afford a weir opening for the discharge of sealing medium against the face of objects carried by the conveyor, a slide plate carried by the outer frame and coacting with the edge of the weir for regulating the width of the discharge over the weir, a ledge on the outer .frame located below the weir opening for diverting the falling sheet of sealing medium under the lower edge of the object to be sealed, and a drain pan located below the line of discharge from the weir for intercepting the surplus sealing medium, substantially as described.

20. In sealing apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tiltable conveyor, a tank for the reception of a liquid sealing medium in laterally adjacent relation to the conveyor, said tank being provided with a swinging gate comprising segmental side walls and an arcuate end wall, said gate carrying an intermediate frame adjustable with respect to the gate, said intermediate frame carrying an outer frame adjustable in and out of the intermediate frame, said outer frame being configured to afford a weir opening for the discharge of sealing medium against the .face of objects carried by the conveyor, a slide plate carried by the outer frame and coacting with the edge of the weir for regulating the width of the discharge over the weir, a ledge on the outer frame located below the weir opening for diverting the falling sheet of sealing medium under the lower edge of the object to be sealed, an adjustable shoe for regulating the position of the tobe-sealed object with respect to the discharge from the weir, and a drain pan located below the line of discharge from the weir for intercepting the surplus sealing medium, substantially as described.

' ADOLPH n. BULLERJAHN. 

